Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

By Andrew Bunting Vice President of Horticulture

Gold Medal Plants

attractively with native grasses such as the switch grass, Panicum virgatum , and the prairie dropseed, Sporobolus heterolepis

‘Iron Butterfly’ has very fine foliage that turns yellow in the fall and brings a fine textural effect to the garden. I grow it in my front garden which gets considerable deer pressure, and while it does get a little browsing it seems to be relatively deer resistant.

Juniperus ‘Grey Owl’ is a broad spreading evergreen shrub that is selected for its silvery blue foliage. Ultimately, it can reach ten feet tall with an equal spread, but it is also relatively easy to keep to a smaller size with regular pruning. It is very tolerant of poor urban soils and can take hot and dry conditions as well. It produces berrylike bluish fleshy cones that are a good food source for native birds. ‘Grey Owl’ is a great addition to the winter landscape where it can make stunning combinations with winterberry hollies, such as Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’ and ‘Winter Gold’.

Viburnum dentatum

Chicago Lustre® is a selection of a native deciduous viburnum, the arrowwood. At maturity, it will reach twelve feet tall with a nearly equal spread. It can be planted as a single specimen, and is good for hedging too. This multiseasoned shrub has flattopped clusters of white flowers in May, which are followed by blue-black berries in the fall that are a great food source. Viburnum dentatum can thrive in full sun to full shade. In the fall, the shiny leaves turn orange, yellow and red. In the wild, it is native from Maine to Florida and west to Texas. The swamp white oak, Quercus bicolor is one of the most versatile and durable of all the native oaks. Because of its durability, it is used extensively as a street tree where it can thrive in acidic soils, but also those with a high pH. It can grow in degraded urban soils and can tolerate a fair amount of moisture too. Over time it will reach 50-60 feet tall and develop a rounded canopy. Like many species of native oaks, it is the host of hundreds of native species of insects, mammals and birds. The fall color is yellow. Nyssa sylvatica Green Gable™ is a selection of the sour gum or tupelo. Reaching 60 feet tall at maturity, it will develop a broad pyramidal shape. Like other Nyssa cultivars and selections, it is tolerant of all sorts of soils, including poorly drained soils, making it a great candidate to be used in urban areas and as a street tree. The fall color is a stunning fire engine red and it is one of the earlier trees to exhibit fall color.

In the fall the small fruits turn black-blue and are the favorite food of many native song birds including the American Robin.

These new Gold Medal introductions join over 150 Gold Medal Plants that have been selected for adaptability and outstanding ornamental attributes.

Editor’s Note: Andrew Bunting is Vice President of Horticulture for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. He is one of the most recognized horticulturists in the Philadelphia, Pa., region and a highly regarded colleague in the world of professional horticulture. Bunting has amassed a plethora of awards, including the American Public Gardens Association Professional Citation, Chanticleer Scholarship in Professional Development, Delaware Center for Horticulture’s Marion Marsh Award, and the Certificate of Merit from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. In addition, Bunting has lectured extensively throughout North America and Europe, and participated in plant expeditions throughout Asia and Africa. Learn more at https://phsonline.org/team/ andrew-bunting